


Promises Kept

by carolej126, TeriH



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Heartwarming, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-07 03:51:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18612544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeriH/pseuds/TeriH
Summary: Originally published in Magnificent Kids  (Neon RainBow Press, 2010)Written by the Mod Squad (otherwise known as Brigitta, Carole, and Teri)A trip into the wilderness for young Vin & JD.





	Promises Kept

Vin stopped and stared.  The land went on forever, stretching out in every direction.  From here he could see  _everything._ Trees reached up toward him.  A river snaked through the valley below.  There were huge piles of rocks.  It looked like some giant had been playing marbles with them and then simply walked away.  Above the sky was brilliant blue with white fluffy clouds scattered like polka-dots.  The breeze danced through Vin’s hair.  He had never seen anything like this or felt like this in his life. 

Six months ago the seven-year-old’s world had been confined to roads, alleys and cardboard boxes.  He’d hidden in shadows so no one could see him.  Out here there was nowhere to hide and it was fantastic!

The child sensed the approach of another.  Not that long ago that would have been the signal to run.  Today he stood and waited.  A large hand touched his bare shoulder.  The hand was firm and callused, but the touch was gentle.  Vin looked up into the face of the man standing next to him.

Chris smiled and then directed his gaze out in front of him.  Vin returned to staring over the National Park from the top of Bald Mountain.  Today was Vin’s birthday.  Chris and Buck had taken the two days off and the family had come here, camped overnight and done some hiking, fishing and swimming.  Vin never wanted to leave this amazing place.  He’d asked if they could live here, but Chris had simply winked so he assumed that meant no.

Buck and J.D. were a few minutes behind on the trail up the mountain and Vin was glad.  Being up here alone with Chris, so free and surrounded by so much silence, lit him up inside in a way he’d never thought possible.  As a matter of fact, being with Chris was like being with his mum, but different. 

The wind carried the sound of giggling.  Vin looked in that direction and smirked.  Buck appeared with J.D. on his shoulders.  Vin glanced up at Chris who patted his shoulder and turned around.  The opposite of peace and solitude had arrived which was okay because Vin loved them both.

“We saw a igloo!” J.D. cried as Buck lowered him to the ground.

“An eagle,” Buck corrected.

“Yeah,” J.D. agreed.

“I guess we should be heading back.  We need to be home for Vin’s party,” Buck boomed happily.

“Your uncles will be waiting,” Chris added.  His voice was always hushed.  Vin loved that about him.

“We’s gonna get soooo many pressies this year,” J.D. cheered.  What was Vin’s was J.D.’s, always had been, always would.

Vin glanced up at Chris who smiled, ruffled the child’s hair and declared quietly, “Reckon there may be another gift or two for you.”

~~~~~~~

As the family moved down the steep incline toward their campsite something strange took place.  The air became heavier and it became darker.  Vin sensed it was more than the thick canopy overhead blocking out the warm sunshine.

The breeze died away and everything was very still.  Vin noted Chris’ brow was deeply furrowed.  The family picked up pace, J.D.’s happy chatter the only sound as they descended.

When the family exited the trees, Vin looked up.  The blue sky was gone, replaced by dark clouds.  The breeze that had danced had been replaced by wind.

“Storm,” Buck muttered.

Chris grimaced.  “They come on quickly out here.”

Vin watched the two adults whisper, their faces showing concern. Then Chris took Vin’s hand.  “Come on, son.”

“Chris?”

Chris squeezed Vin’s fingers.  Vin didn’t know what was going on but he knew to stay close.

“Where we going?” J.D. asked.

“Not far,” Buck stated.

“Can we go fishing? I caught the biggest fish remember, Pa.”

“I remember, squirt.”

Ahead, Vin spotted a wall of rock and a little further to the right, a cave.

J.D. ran forward, placed his hands on his hips and cried, “Wow!  That’s the biggest hole I’s ever seen in my whole entire life!”

Light rain began to fall, the wind swirling around the group.

“Pa, who you think made that big hole?”

Buck scooped J.D. up in his arms and jogged toward the cave opening. 

Chris coaxed Vin forward.

“Pa?” J.D. demanded.

“Well, squirt, I’m guessing it was a great big-“  A huge clap of thunder drowned out Buck’s voice.  Vin jumped.  Before he knew it, he was hoisted into Chris’ arms and moments later, the family entered the cave.

~~~~~~~

 

**Part 2**

“You warm enough, Vin?” Chris asked, looking down at the small boy.

Vin nodded, pulling his nylon jacket more tightly around his shoulders.  It was true.  He was warm enough, at least for now.  But every time the wind howled, he shivered with the cold. 

He and JD had been puzzled when Chris and Buck had instructed the boys to pack a jacket inside their backpacks, “just in case,” but now he understood what the “just in case” had meant.  It had gone from sunny and warm, to cloudy and cold in mere seconds.  And he wasn’t the only one that was having a hard time staying warm.  Despite his jacket, JD was trying to burrow under Buck’s coat to stay warm, and even the two grown-ups were shivering. 

“Chris?”  Vin looked up at his dad.  “If yer cold, I c’n share.”  He reached for the zipper of his jacket.

“I’m fine,” Chris answered, wrapping Vin’s hand within his own, preventing the small boy from unzipping his jacket.

Vin looked at Chris doubtfully.  He didn’t look “fine.”  He looked cold!    

“But,” Chris added after a moment, “if you want to, you can scoot in even closer, just in case I do get cold.”

Vin didn’t need another invitation.  He quickly tucked himself against Chris’s side, a smile on his face.  He remembered this feeling, from when he used to curl up next to his mom.  She called it “snuggling,” and it had always made him feel safe and loved.

It made him feel that way now.

The light on the floor flickered, drawing Vin’s attention.  He held his breath, waiting to see if it was going to go out.  He didn’t want it to.  It had been really dark in the cave at first.  He hadn’t even been able to see Buck and JD!  But Chris had carried him inside the cave, holding him close, and then after lowering him gently to the ground, emptied out his own backpack and set up the emergency light. 

He really liked that flashlight.  When Chris had brought it in from the barn, Vin had been allowed to play with it.  It ran on batteries, four of them, and it had two different color lights, a white one and a red one.  He’d tried both of them, clicking them on and off a few times.  And it had a radio, too!  Back at the house, Vin had been able to listen to music, but here, in the mountains, it just made a funny, screechy noise.  Buck had told him that they were out of range, and it would work again when they got back home.  He hoped so. 

“It’s okay, son,” Chris spoke up.  “We’ll be fine, even if it does go out.”

Vin just nodded.  He knew that.  He snuggled a little closer, smiling as he felt his dad press a gentle kiss on the top of his head.  He looked across the cave.  JD was asleep on Buck’s lap, the five-year-old snoring over the sounds of the storm.  Buck had his eyes closed, and his arms wrapped protectively around the young boy.

“The storm will probably be gone soon,“ Chris said.  “As soon as it is, we can head back down to our campsite.”

“Are we still gonna have…”  Vin’s voice trailed off.  The storm was going to make them late, he knew that.  What if they didn’t get home in time?  What if he missed his birthday party?  He chewed his lip.  Maybe he’d have to wait until next year. 

“Vin?”

Vin swallowed hard.  He didn’t want to wait.  He’d been looking forward to his party for a long, long, long time. 

“Are you worried about your party?” Chris asked quietly.  “You don’t need to be.”

“It’s okay if I don’t get t’ cel’brate,“ Vin started, his voice a whisper. 

“No, it isn’t,” Chris corrected.  “We’re going to have your birthday party, even if we end up staying up all night,” he promised.  “Okay?”

Vin nodded, a smile spreading across his face. 

“Sounds like the storm’s movin’ on.”

Vin looked across the cave in surprise.  He hadn’t even known Buck was awake. 

“I think Buck’s right,” Chris confirmed.  He levered himself off the ground, heading for the cave’s entrance. 

Bolting to his feet, Vin quickly followed, surprised to see that most of the dark clouds had moved on, taking with them the rain and wind. 

“Looks like it’s time to head for home,” Chris said, wrapping his arm around Vin’s shoulders. 

~~~~~~~

 

**Part 3**  

Vin turned to look out of the side window of the Ram as it pulled away from the campsite.  The setting sun peeked through a hole made by the branches of the overhanging pines and its last rays shown on the small clearing where their tent had recently stood. 

"Pa, can we come back next week?" JD asked.

"Probably not next week, squirt," Buck replied as he reached for his cell phone.

"When we do, I'm gonna climb that big rock we saw.  You said I could climb it when I was older and I'll be older then, won't I, Pa?  I bet that's where that igloo lives."

"Eagle," Buck corrected.

"Yeah, eagle, I bet it has a big nest.  Do you think it has a big nest, Pa?"

Buck periodically nodded as JD rambled on.  It had become a normal part of all car trips.  JD would carry on a running commentary until sleep overtook him.  While some found the constant prattle annoying Vin found the sound of JD's voice strangely comforting.

Vin leaned back in his seat and watched as Buck closed the phone and gave Chris a negative shake of his head.  He knew that Buck was trying to reach the ranch in an effort to tell the others that they would be late, and Vin knew it was his fault.

"You okay, son?"  Their eyes met in the review mirror.

Vin nodded.  "Just tired."  It wasn't  _really_  a lie, he  _was_  tired.

"Why don't you close your eyes and rest?  We'll be home in about an hour."

Vin looked at the truck's clock.  He knew his numbers and in an hour it would be eight o'clock.  It was already too late.  The party,  _his party_ had started at five o'clock and it would be over.  He closed his eyes and willed the tears building there not to fall.

It was his fault.  If only he hadn't asked Chris to go camping for his birthday... but it had been a lot of fun spending time with his dad.  If he hadn't begged Chris to take one more hike up the mountain before they left… but he did like all the things he learned when he was hiking with his dad.  If they hadn't been caught out in the storm and had to hide in that cave for so long… but he could still feel the warmth of his dad's arm around him as they sat and listened to the storm rage.  If the trail hadn't become so slippery from the rain that it took twice as long to get back to their campsite…  Well then maybe they wouldn't have missed his birthday party. 

Vin sighed, it wasn't like birthdays were a big thing.  Last year his had come and gone without his knowing,  _but a party_.  He would have liked to know what a birthday party was like.  He had seen pictures of parties with balloons, and presents, and ice cream, and a cake with candles.  Maybe next year. 

~~~~~~~

"Vin.  Vin, wake up." 

Vin heard Chris's voice call as if through a haze and it took a moment before the day's events came crashing back and he realized he was still in the truck.  The sun had now dipped below the distant mountain casting dark shadows on the surrounding land. 

"Vin, look!"  JD's voice held a touch of amazement and he pointed ahead.  "Is it Christmas?"

The lane which led to the ranch house was lined with hundreds of sparkling lights and balloons waved from every fence post.  The deck also glittered with lights and from the railing hung a multicolored sign that proclaimed, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VIN. 

As the truck pulled to a stop, the door of the house opened and a flood of familiar faces appeared carrying presents and food which quickly covered the picnic tables that flanked an inviting bonfire.

As Chris opened the back door of the truck Vin looked to his father in awe.  "But…we're late." 

"Can't have a birthday party without the birthday boy," Chris stated as he lifted Vin from the truck.  "Now, I think you'd best go show your Uncle Ezra how to roast a hot dog before he stabs someone with that stick."

Vin looked at the man before him.  How could he have doubted?  Chris said they would celebrate his birthday and he'd never let him down yet. 

Impulsively he threw his arms around his father, squeezed tight and whispered, "I love you, Dad."

"Happy birthday, son."

 


End file.
